Amadeus has acquired the CRM and loyalty solutions division of Turkey-based Hitit Computer Services.
Amadeus acquires Turkey-based Hitit to ramp up airline loyalty
Amadeus has acquired the CRM and loyalty solutions division of Turkey-based Hitit Computer Services.
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will allow Amadeus to expand and diversify its existing IT solutions portfolio, while airlines expand their customer loyalty programmes.
Hitit Loyalty’s operations will be integrated into Amadeus’ Airline IT business. More than half of Hitit Loyalty’s existing customers are also Amadeus Altéa users.
Hitit Loyalty will be renamed as Amadeus IT Services, Turkey. Its management and research and development team will stay in Turkey, joining an existing local Amadeus group of developers and commercial support staff.
Amadeus said it intends to use the acquisition to drive a new IT revenue stream by adding and enhancing loyalty capability to optimise the attraction and retention of airline passengers. The diversification will span airlines’ frequent flyer, corporate, partnership and alliance management needs.
Hitit Loyalty services will be available both as an add-on module to Amadeus Altéa as well as a stand-alone product, which will help expand the company’s business with non-Altéa airlines.
Apart from the Loyalty Division’s acquisition by Amadeus, Hitit Computer Services, will remain unchanged and will continue to operate with the previous shareholder structure, offering core airline solutions as before.
Amadeus Airline IT senior vice president Julia Sattel said: “This is an important milestone for both Amadeus and our Airline IT division in particular.
“Loyalty is one of the key drivers connected to the core passenger servicing business of any successful airline, and being able to offer this service allows us to not only increase the value of our Altéa proposition but also to broaden our IT portfolio to better serve existing and future customers.”
